The last contingent
of Philippine troops are due to leave Iraq on Monday - meeting a demand by
kidnappers holding a Filipino hostage.

Their commander Brig Gen Jovito Palparan
came on ahead, in an apparent symbolic gesture of the country's seriousness
about withdrawal.

He told reporters at Manila airport he
was happy to be home.

There was no news on Angelo de la Cruz,
who was threatened with execution if troops did not leave by end of July.

The Philippines' move has been branded
"a bad precedent" by Iraq, and US officials have said ties with
Manila were under review.

The remaining 22 peacekeepers - out of a
total of 51 - were due to pay an "exit call" to the Polish commander
at Camp Charlie, in Iraq's Babil province on Monday, said Foreign Secretary
Delia Albert.

"After the call, the remaining
contingent will then proceed to Kuwait and from there return to Manila by
commercial flight."

'Good accomplishments'

The first troops left on Friday,
ignoring calls by the US and other allies not to give in to militants.

Brig Gen Palparan arrived in Manila
early on Monday.

"I am happy that I have arrived
back in the Philippines," he told reporters.

"The men I left there are okay,
they are preparing to return home."

He said the Philippines had achieved
"good accomplishments" in Iraq, without commenting further.

While the Philippines has only several
dozens soldiers in Iraq, about 4,000 civilians are in the country, mainly
working on contracts at US military bases.

Difficult dilemma

Manila's decision has incurred the wrath
of the US and other allies.

On Sunday, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Hoshyar Zebari told a news conference in Baghdad: "We respect the
Philippine government's decision but this came in response to demands from
terrorist gangs."

He added: "This, in my view and the
view of the Iraqi government, has set a bad precedent and sends the wrong
messages."

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage, who was jointly giving the news conference with Mr Zebari, agreed
with him, but said it would not affect relations with the Philippines.

However, a US official speaking on
condition of anonymity told the Associated Press news agency that Washington
was reviewing ties with Manila because of the troop withdrawal.

"It's a new situation," the
official was quoted as saying. "We have to re-evaluate our overall
relationship."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard
said: "I don't want to be harsh on a friend, but it is a mistake and it
won't buy them immunity.

"It's a wretched state of affairs,
but if you give in it won't stop it happening again."

The fate of Mr de la Cruz has gripped
the Philippines since his kidnapping was first revealed.

The previously unknown group called
Iraqi Islamic Army-Khaled bin al-Waleed Corps demanded the withdrawal of
troops by 20 July, a month earlier than Manila had planned, if Mr de la Cruz's
life was to be spared.